The Adam Smith Society: Free Markets, Free Minds, and Free Membership

Welcome (back) to Wharton. The Adam Smith Society, or SmithSoc for short, is a chapter-based network of MBA students across the globe who work to promote debate and discussion about the moral, social, and economic benefits of free markets. It is important to stress the words debate and discussion – we are not aligned with any one political party, we do not agree on all policy solutions, and we are not (entirely) funded by the Koch Brothers. Rather, our members are united by the idea that entrepreneurs, like you and me, will solve today’s social and economic problems with ingenious solutions – incubated in a free enterprise system. We invite all of Wharton to attend our lectures and debates, regardless of personal leanings.

Returning 2Ys may remember some of the lunch-and-learn events hosted by last year’s SmithSoc. These included lectures from experts on topics including net neutrality, the future of rideshare, payday loans, and the gender wage gap. This coming academic year, our leadership team intends to bring renowned speakers that will touch on topics including private prisons, highway safety policy, trends in corporate lobbying, universal basic income, corporate stock buybacks, and more. Furthermore, we are planning a one-of-a-kind social competition called BeerX, which is a simulation of a beer market complete with buy and sell orders, real-time pricing, and plenty of hoppy IPAs.

And the best part: club membership is free, just like our favorite type of markets. Please join via Wharton Groups and by visiting www.adamsmithsociety.com/membership. An extra $10 will buy you access to the many national SmithSoc events all across the US. From all of us at the SmithSoc board, welcome to Wharton and we sincerely look forward to engaging in thoughtful debate and discussion with you this year.